Meghan’s trick to looking “way more sculpted”

If anyone could make us believe in the power of facial exercise, it's the Duchess of Sussex. Sure, she’s been blessed with remarkable scaffolding, but her face always looks toned and taught in addition to her good bone structure.

The actress credits British facialist Nichola Joss (a Bazaar favourite), for her bright, chiselled visage, having spoken about her facial massage techniques in past beauty interviews and on her now-defunct lifestyle blog with a piece on her “life changing facial”.

Talking to Birchbox, the actress explained that she doesn’t only rely on professional facial massage with Joss, but does DIY facial exercises, too.

"I do facial exercises from one of my favourite aestheticians, Nicola Joss, who basically has you sculpt your face from the inside out,” she explained. “I swear it works, as silly as you may feel. On the days I do it, my cheekbones and jawline are waaaay more sculpted. There’s a reason she is in high demand around awards season when every actress wants to look A-plus."

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Leading face yoga expert, Danielle Collins, says that the right facial exercises can “strengthen muscles attached to the skin, improve lymph flow and relax lines caused by holding tension in the face for long periods of time”. This could, therefore, reduce wrinkles and puffiness, lift sagging skin and allow the skin to look healthier.

Collins has created her own method featuring key facial exercises (below) to be performed in combination with skin massage which work the lower, middle and upper layer of skin. She believes that “by working all these layers correctly, it will increase the blood circulation, allowing more oxygen and more nourishment to reach the cells of the skin”. Hello glow.

But don’t forget the massage. “Face massage combined with the face exercises will increase the collagen and elastin, the natural plumping agents which will mean a firmer and healthier complexion. Boosting the collagen and elastin is a key way for the skin to look younger and healthier.”

Here, Collins demonstrates her top facial exercise moves.

1. The owl

Danielle Collins

"Make a big C shape with your thumb and index fingers. Place your index finger just above and parallel to your eyebrows and your thumbs on your cheeks. Start to pull down with the index fingers while trying to raise your eyebrows and making the eyes wide. Hold for two seconds, relax and repeat again. Now do three more times. Then hold this position for ten seconds. This will firm up the forehead, reducing lines and wrinkles."

2. Circle the eyes

Danielle Collins

"First place your middle fingers at the beginning of your eyebrows. Start to gently tap around your eyes following the top of your eyebrow and then continue under your eye just at the top of your cheekbones. Then continue to the inside corners of your eye. Then repeat, going in the opposite direction, making little tapping motions. This is great for reducing eye wrinkles, boosting circulation and relaxing the muscles. Then with your index fingers very gently stroke just under your eyes from the nose outwards four times to warm up and relax the eye area. This helps to reduce bags and puffiness under the eyes by removing toxins and increasing blood flow and oxygen to the area."

3. Swan neck

Danielle Collins

"Begin looking straight ahead with your chin level. Turn your head to the right so that it is even with your right shoulder and then tilt your head backwards. Hold for six to eight seconds. Return your head to the forward position with your chin level. Turn your head to the left, even with your left shoulder. Tilt your head back and hold for six to eight seconds - repeat up to three times. This lifts and tones the neck muscles therefore firming lines and wrinkles on the side of the neck and face."

4. The giraffe

Danielle Collins

"Looking straight ahead place your finger tips on the top of your neck and lightly stroke the skin down as you tilt your head back. Bring your head back down and repeat twice more. Then jut your lower lip out as far as possible, place your fingers on your collarbone and point your chin upwards, pulling the corners of your mouth down. Hold for four deep breaths. This releases neck tension, tones and lift the neck area."

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